IS OVERTRAINING PREVENTING YOU FROM BUILDING MUSCLE?

In most sports and fitness endeavours, pushing yourself hard is necessary to see improvements. Whether you’re into bodybuilding, shedding fat, or dropping weight, it takes dedication to reach your goals.

But giving your body time to recover after intense workouts is crucial. Otherwise, you might overtrain and push yourself too far. How do you know if you’ve fully bounced back? And what happens if you’re pushing too hard? These are common questions many folks wonder about.

WHAT IS OVERTRAINING?

These days, it’s not unusual to hear about overtraining or overtraining syndrome, especially among bodybuilders and fitness buffs. To enhance your physique, you must constantly challenge your body, pushing it to new limits. So, it’s no surprise that many end up overdoing it.

Overtraining happens when you push your body past its natural recovery limits, mainly through exercise. After a workout, your muscles need time to recuperate, repair, and grow. If you cut this rest period short, your muscles won’t have the chance to grow, and you won’t see the gains you’re after.

You’ve probably heard stories of people hitting the gym six days a week but have yet to see any changes. This could be due to overtraining.

Everyone’s body is different. Some can handle frequent gym sessions without overtraining, while others may hit that point after just a few days. Factors like genetics and stress from other areas of life, like work or lack of sleep, can also play a role if you lead a stressful life; listening to your body and taking breaks when needed is important, rather than pushing yourself too hard.

Ultimately, overtraining occurs when there’s an imbalance between training, nutrition, and rest. This can lead to decreased performance, fatigue, and other issues we’ll discuss later.

Are you hitting the gym hard consistently but not seeing the results you expected?

Are you eating well?

If you said yes to both, chances are you’re overtrained.

For many, the mindset is “more is better.” Usually, that’s true. The more you practice something, the better you become. The more money you earn, the more free time you have. The more you socialise, the more healthy relationships you build, and so on.

Spending more time in the gym will speed up muscle growth.

But building muscle is different. Sometimes, more isn’t better. Overdoing it in the gym can hinder progress.

Your muscles need time to recover and grow to get bigger and stronger. If you don’t allow enough recovery time, you’ll never reach that growth stage, and all your hard work won’t pay off.

To avoid overtraining, it’s important to recognise the signs.

We’ve compiled a list of common symptoms athletes often experience when overtrained.

OVERTRAINING SYMPTOMS

• Are you feeling excessively tired?
• Is your morning pulse rate higher than usual?
• Muscles feeling sorer than they should?
• Are you struggling to get a good night’s sleep?
• Do you feel hungry?
• Are mood swings getting the best of you?
• Are they not performing as well as before
• Not as strong as usual?
• Are you finding workouts more challenging?
• Are joints feeling unusually sore?
• Are you noticing some extra fat around?
• Can’t finish your workout?

If you’re nodding to any of these, it’s time to take action and pull yourself out of the overtraining pit.

HOW DO I PREVENT OVERTRAINING?

The best way to bounce back from overtraining is to avoid it altogether. Here’s how:

SLEEP

Getting enough sleep is key. It’s often hailed as the top recovery method for elite athletes. When you sleep, your muscles repair and grow stronger. Growth hormone is released, and protein synthesis kicks in, aiding muscle recovery.

Skimping on sleep means skimping on recovery and muscle growth potential. Plus, you risk hitting a performance plateau.

OVERTRAINING SOLUTION: NUTRITION

• Ensuring your body gets the right nutrition is key to combating overtraining.
• You need quality carbs to replenish energy stores after intense workouts.
• A diet rich in protein helps muscles recover and grow stronger.
• Healthy fats provide energy, protect organs, and aid nutrient absorption.
• Supplements can help bridge gaps in nutrition, especially when life gets busy.

STRESS

• Stress triggers the release of cortisol, a hormone that hampers recovery.
• Managing stress levels is crucial to avoiding overtraining.
• Try meditation, proper nutrition, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques.
• Socialising, reading, and mindfulness can also help.
• Adequate sleep is essential for stress management.

REST

Rest is crucial in preventing overtraining, arguably the most important factor.

Taking a rest day can be challenging. You may be slacking off and slowing your progress. But that’s not the case at all.

On rest days, your body’s systems reset for growth and performance. This sets you up to perform at your best when you return to the gym.

During intense workouts, you create tiny tears in your muscle fibres. Rest allows these tears to heal and strengthen, leading to muscle growth.

If you don’t give yourself enough time to recover, these tears can become more significant injuries, hindering your progress.

Remember, while you damage your muscles in the gym, their growth happens during rest. So, adequate recovery time is essential for growth and strength.

Even during recovery, ensure you provide your body with the right nutrition. Maintain a diet rich in protein and carbohydrates, with healthy fats in moderation.

Taking a break from the gym can also benefit you mentally. Body transformation is a gradual process, and a break can reignite your motivation and prevent burnout.

Rest is often underestimated in body transformation journeys. Don’t overlook it, or you’ll face consequences down the road.

DANGERS OF OVERTRAINING

CHANGES IN MOOD AND SLEEP

Overtraining can disrupt the balance of hormones responsible for mood and sleep.

This imbalance can lead to sleep disturbances, causing grogginess and reduced daytime alertness.

Moreover, overtraining can damage mood-stabilizing hormones, resulting in feelings of depression, irritability, and anxiety.

Maintaining exercise within recommended limits is crucial for mental well-being.

BONE HEALTH

Excessive exercise can have adverse effects on bone density, particularly in women.

Overtraining may lower estrogen levels, increasing the risk of osteoporosis, especially in menopausal or pre-menopausal women.

Weak bones are more prone to injuries like fractures, sprains, and joint pain, emphasising the importance of balanced exercise and recovery.

WEAKENED IMMUNE SYSTEM

Overtraining can suppress the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to illness.

Studies indicate that extreme athletes and sedentary individuals are more prone to sickness than those who exercise moderately.

Maintaining a balanced exercise routine is essential for optimal immune function.

MUSCLE INJURIES

Overuse injuries are common among individuals who overtrain, often resulting from repetitive strain on specific muscle groups.

Training the same muscles consecutively without adequate rest increases the risk of injury.

Balancing exercise and rest periods is vital to prevent muscle injuries and maintain long-term fitness goals.

OVERTRAINING: THE BOTTOM LINE

Slipping into overtraining doesn’t just hinder your progress towards your fitness goals and heightens your risk of injury, potentially derailing your journey for an extended period.

Remember, muscles don’t grow while you exercise; they grow during rest. If you don’t allow enough time for rest, your muscles won’t have the chance to recover and grow stronger.

Ensure you give your muscles adequate time to rest and recuperate. Cutting back on rest compromises potential muscle growth and diminishes the effectiveness of your subsequent workouts if your energy reserves still need to be fully replenished.

Listen to your body’s signals. When it tells you to take a break, heed its advice. Refrain from falling into the misconception that time away from the gym is counterproductive; it’s just as crucial as your time spent working out.